Make a Button Wreath Ornament

When I’m making ornaments that evoke a nostalgia for home, there’s a lot of things I have to imagine. I didn’t have warm and loving grandparents or family traditions I look back on fondly, so making this tree has been the chance for me to pretend for a minute that I did. This tree has been the place I put all of my wishes I had as a child, and all the hopes I have for my future. Wanting to create a space that feels like home for everyone who enters my door has been the mission of my adult life. And one of the ways I represent that is with all the materials that say: Grandma. I saw this lovely fluffy chenille yarn and immediately thought of chenille bedspreads. It simply had to be included on the tree.

For starters you need something round to wrap. I looked at all the options the craft store had to offer and these wee little grapevine wreaths were the most cost effective at 49 cents a piece. I bet if you had old kids stacking toys lying around you could use those too.

I pulled off as many vines as I could just so I had less to catch the yarn on and then I started wrapping. Since the entire giant skein of yarn won’t fit through the hole in your wreath, you’ll need to cut off a section of yarn. To keep it tidy while you’re working, I found it easiest to wrap it up into a tiny ball. Leave a good long tail to start with because you’ll need that later and it’s got to be long enough to stay visible through all the layers of yarn you wrap. Then you just put something interesting on the TV and wrap and wrap and wrap until the wreath is the size you want.

I loved it good and puffy so I kept wrapping until it looked like a fuzzy donut. Then tie the two ends of yarn together and cut off the tails. This chenille is perfect for this project because it’s so fluffy the knots just blend right in. This is also helpful to know in case you don’t get enough yarn in your ball to finish wrapping the first time. Just cut more yarn, tie the ends together, and keep on going. The knot won’t even be seen.

I tied a little bow out of some printed burlap ribbon and hot glued that on at the bottom.

And then hot glued on buttons. I experimented with a couple different button designs, but for my taste the simple way is best here. I didn’t want to hide all that lovely yarn by adding too many buttons.

I can’t look at this ornament without smiling wistfully at the imaginary grandma I wish I had. With a sewing box full of buttons and a comfy chenille bedspread to fall asleep under. It would have been nice (so if you have this kind of grandma, be sure and give them an extra hug from me), but if I couldn’t have it, at least I can be it. Even if the “grandkids” I tend to are actually just my friends.